Purchasing a new tent - please help!

[j741]

We’re looking to buy our first proper family tent and I’d love to hear from people who camp regularly with children.

We’re a family of four with two young daughters and are hoping to use camping as our main UK holiday for years to come, rather than paying for cottages every summer. We’d like to buy something once and keep it for a long time.

We’ve spent today looking around tents and now feel more confused than when we started! We really liked one of the larger Vango air tents because it felt so spacious, but then started wondering whether it would be too big for some campsites and a pain to pack away if it was wet.

One thing that’s important to us is that we already have a king-size airbed and we’d like to keep using it, so we’re looking for something with a decent-sized bedroom rather than squeezing everything in. We’d also like enough living space that if the weather is awful for a day it still feels comfortable to spend time inside.

Has anyone bought a really big family air tent and either been pleased they did, or wished they’d gone a bit smaller? Also, if you’ve had both polyester and polycotton tents, was the extra cost and weight of polycotton worth it?

We’re not in a rush to buy and would much rather get it right than regret spending a lot of money, so I’d really appreciate hearing about real-life experiences rather than just reading manufacturers’ descriptions.

That tent looks lovely OP :) It's just like the Kampa Croyde I had. I found it was a really good setup/layout. I hope you guys enjoy it for many years to come :) Google the pitch up videos for it beforehand (I did for my one so it was easier to pitch at the campsite), but honestly they go up and down so quickly :)

You can buy an electric pump (I had the Kampa Gale) for even easier inflating of the airbeams :D

we have a Decathlon F&B 5.2 - 2 bedrooms, stays cool, porch area and vents!!! spacious room that fits a king bed air mattress too

bit of a fiddle to put up but not difficult - can be done in about 15 minutes :)

good warranty too, if you sign up for their loyalty club (free, btw)

xxx

That looks great. Have you planned your first trip yet?

We just bought the same tent Op! Good choice :)

The carpet that comes in the bundle deal is a good idea. I was sceptical but I wouldn't be without one now. Keeps everything warmer.
Enjoy!

I've got an old polycotton tent- a Cabanon. I wouldn't be able to cope with the rustling of polyester I think, it would drive me mad. The Cabanon feels almost like sleeping in a building, and it's never felt too hot. It may be a bit heavier than polyester, but I still managed to carry it across a field uphill to the car at a festival last week OK (canvas and poles in 2 trips, but it's a pretty big tent). The drying conundrum has occurred a couple of times in its life, and it's definitely a pain though. In extremis I hang it over the bannisters.

The Cabanon feels almost like sleeping in a building

Trouble is, if it's anything like ours, it also feels like heaving a building in and out of the car.

DD and I have a little Vango for when it's just the two of us with no over-six-footers grumbling about lack of headrooom.

Just a little tip in that my son got his from go outdoors and he asked when the display one was being taken down .They said following week so he got it for half price and it was already reduced in the sale !